UAE bank thieves robbing customers blind

Bank customers are being warned to look out for opportunistic thieves who rob people after they have finished their financial transactions, Abu Dhabi Police have said.

Colonel Dr Rashid Mohammad Borshid, director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), urged the public to be very wary of the way they withdraw and handle their money and to immediately inform the police in an emergency.

Borshid said the CID has set up plans to capture any suspects and to monitor prowlers who linger around bank areas across Abu Dhabi in a bid to stop them before they strike. The move came after some bank customers reported that they had been robbed of their money outside the banks. However, the police did not give the specific numbers.

A common manner in which these sudden thefts[2] to occur is for the thief’s accomplice to point out a a fake flaw in the car, from an oil leak to a flat tyre, prompting the driver to exit their vehicle to examine the damage. This gives the suspect a window of opportunity to seize the cash from the passenger seat inside the vehicle.

Many victims[3], Borshid said, do not realise they have been robbed until much later, as the suspect often flees the scene.

The official also highlighted the importance of always keeping a close eye on one’s money and to keep it out of sight of those who may be near by while adhering to the safety rules provided by Abu Dhabi Police.

Some of these guidelines include not leaving money inside cars when parking in public places and reporting any crime, incident or person suspected of following someone.